Top cop is landlord of illegal wine shop too!

DCP Nandkumar Chougule doesn’t just own the premises which hosted a sex spa, but has rented out another of his plots to a wine seller, which has been slapped a BMC notice for illegal constructions

Two days after MiD DAY exposed that a prostitution racket was flourishing within a spa in a bungalow owned by DCP Nandkumar Chougule, fresh controversy surrounding the senior cop is brewing again. Investigations conducted by a MiD DAY correspondent into Chougule’s assets have revealed some even more shocking facts.

The spa under the scanner is not the only one of Chougule’s assets that has the stigma of illegality attached to it. Chougule is also the landlord for a property that hosts a wine shop – Juben Wines – located at Adarsh Nagar in Andheri.

The plot has been slapped a demolition notice by the BMC, owing to illegal constructions erected upon it. This asset too is registered in his wife Madhuri’s name, though the owner of the shop, Juben Sawla, referred to DCP Chougule as his “landlord.”

MiD DAY, in its report on December 28, had published that a raid carried out by the Social Service (SS) Branch of the Mumbai police on December 10 in the Cleopatra Day Spa, located in Four Bungalows, had revealed that it was only a cover for an illegal sex trade racket (‘DCP bungalow home to spa sex racket’).

Investigations for the case had revealed that the property was owned by the senior cop, who is currently posted in the traffic police department.

Curbing under pressure put on it to hush up the matter, the SS Branch had hastily transferred the case to the Versova police station after arresting three women and rescuing seven sex workers.

“The plot was given a demolition notice. You will have to talk to my landlord Nandkumar Chougule, who looks after the property. At present there is a stay on the demolition,” said Sawla.

“We have sent a notice to the owner of the wine shop. The first floor of the building and its front portion have been illegally raised. We are waiting only because of a stay order from the court. As soon as we get a clearance, we will go ahead with the demolition,” confirmed Ramesh Pawar, assistant municipal commissioner, K (West) ward.

After MiD DAY’s disclosure, cops have been conducting a high-profile inquiry on Chougule and the assets owned by his family.

S P Yadav, the joint commissioner of police (administration), has been enquiring into the matter. An inquiry officer for the case has also been appointed by the Commissioner of Police Arup Patnaik. DCP Chougule was not available for comment.